


La Petite Mort

by EvenbechNeiheim



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, also an overuse of italics sorry, everyone is also a bit ooc lol, like a lot, sana is sweetheart bless her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-05 06:12:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11007639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvenbechNeiheim/pseuds/EvenbechNeiheim
Summary: Isak 12:34SANA Eskild wrote me in for this weird thing where I have to kiss a stranger plea se help mEpls how can I everSana 12:37hahaha good luck ;)orEven Bech Næsheim is one of those cool and very hot media students at Uni who might just got the task to make a film project. Eskild is the best wingman and things like accidently falling in love with an asshole media student happen. Based on the FIRST KISS YouTube video that gave the internet an entire meltdown.EDIT: ao3 is stupid and uploaded half the thing, i updated it now!





	La Petite Mort

**Author's Note:**

> ahh here it is!! this was a little side project to take a break from a big thing im writing, because i needed to add some mindless texts and memes and fluff in something okay?? turns out it got a little out of hand, and the goal for 8k words went a little, uh, too far :).
> 
> special thanks to my sweeeet love [viki](http://tarjeiandhenrik.tumblr.com/) who is the bEST wife ever and kept asking for updates for her 'friend' (where can i meet them bith). also [nora](http://chrisana.tumblr.com/) who made sure that i didnt go waaay out of control (and also made sana the real mvp). last but not least [isabol](https://hallaevi.tumblr.com/), whos the slowest snails of all snails, but shes a sweet snail so i forgive her.
> 
> so thats it!!! enjoy, i guess?? 
> 
> oh!! and if you dont know what this au is based on, [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpbDHxCV29A) you can find the video!!

 

**La Petite Mort**

It all begins in Isak’s bed, on a Sunday.

No, not that _way,_ Jesus Christ.

It’s too early to even call it a Sunday morning, the clock hitting the 9 o’ clock mark and the curtains still thick enough to hide the morning scheming, right when Eskild throws his door open and manages to start screaming Isak’s hangover away at the top of his lungs.

“Rise and shine baby gay! I have news you need to be awake for!” 

Isak all but groans, turns his face into his grey pillow because the light from the hallway is definitely burning his eyes to a state that he’s not supposed to see for another 3 hours. His hand grabbing the blanket laying on his waist and tugging it all the way over his head.

He feels the matrass dipping next to him and his body rolling down to Eskilds and yup, there goes his morning he was supposed to sleep through. His hands making fists around the duvet.

“No, no!” He hears next to him, muffled mute by the blanket.

“ _Eskild_.”

“Nope!” Eskild goes and the blanket gets tugged out of Isak’s fists in less than a second.

He blinks against his pillow, the cold air of his room hitting his sleep warm skin all the way to his toes and curls up to the closest warmth he can find. Which also, happens to be Eskild himself.

“Oh my god Isak, you have to wake up!” Eskild nags, but throws an arm over Isak’s shoulders and pulls him closer anyway.

“I have a headache,” He mumbles in response against Eskilds shirt, “And I just want to _sleep,_ Eskild.”

“That’s what happens when you go to college parties and tequila is your weakness baby gay, but I have news that you can’t sleep through.”

“What is it,” He moans, protesting a tiny bit when Eskild pushes him off so he can stand up. Isak turns on his back and frowns when Eskild starts waving his too bright phone in front of his face.

“You know those cool, and may I mention _very_ hot, media studies students at UiO?” 

“Yes Eskild, I know there are media studying students at the university I go to,” Isak sighs, batting the phone away because it’s starting to hurt even more than his hangover, “What does that even have to do with _anything._ ”

He hears the clicking of Eskilds tongue and sits up in his bed. Ignoring the ways how his head is screaming that gravity doesn’t work like that and he needs to lay back down.

“Stop being so dramatic! I’ve done you a huge favour and you don’t even want to listen!”

Isak starts off with laughing at the way Eskild lays a hand over his chest and acts like he’s offended, until the laughter chokes up in his throat and he realizes that- _Eskild_ did him a huge favour and it involved something on his phone.

That moment, during the choked-up coughs and initial panic, he realizes that he’s fucked too.

“A favour? What did you do!”

“I said stop being so dramatic! You just have to know that the media students sometimes film _something_ for media studies and said students need people for that.”

“I’m not doing a porno Eskild what the fuck?”

“No! Oh my god Isak, I didn’t mean that you’re casted in a porno!” Eskild shrieked.

“I’m casted in something? Holy shit Eskild, what did you _do_?” He repeated and his head was going to explode.

Eskild plopped back down onto Isak’s bed, bringing his phone back up with triumph all over his face and Isak didn’t care that the brightness hurt his eyes, who puts his phone on 100% brightness anyway, and grabbed it in more of a hurry than what was safe for the phone.

He saw the mail app opened and yes he was _truly_ fucked.

 

To: eskild.tryggvason@gmail.com  
From: evenbechnaesheim@gmail.com  
Subject: Casting First Kiss

Dear Eskild

I thank you for sending the application for my school project: FIRST KISS. It was well received and we hope your friend, Isak Valtersen, would still like to be part of it. The process of choosing people was rough, but I am pleased to tell you that we have chosen Isak to be part of the cast.

Some general information, both Isak and his opponent will not have met each other. The true core of the project is to truly have strangers kiss for the first time, with only knowing each other’s name to start off with. The people casted will be as themselves, it’s not supposed to be a role they play but truly a raw and emotional first meeting.

Isak has, as requested, a male opponent. We’re extremely grateful for this LGBT representation.

The filming will take place in a suite of the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, starting at 10:00 on next Saturday. To keep the concept of strangers, there is a _strict_ time schedule and room for each actor to stay in. The team and I would like to request you to wait at the entrance of the hotel for a member of the team to escort you to the room.  Enclosed please find our extra details of the address and a possible travel directions.

If you have any questions, any at all, feel free to message me! If not, I am looking forward for our collaboration next Saturday.

See you then!  
Even Bech Næsheim

 

Isak read it all in such a hurry that he was afraid he read it wrong, or he more hoped he read it wrong. Because what the fuck ‘have strangers kiss for the first time’ meant, he didn’t know. But something in him said that it probably meant exactly what it said and he didn’t read it wrong and he is going to _kill_ Eskild.

“What the fuck.” He starts. “What the fuck!”

“Pretty great, isn’t it?” Eskild smiled and it was totally more mischievous than sincere.

“No Eskild! I’m not doing that, what?”

“But baby gay, your last hook-up was _months_ ago and you get grumpier by a minute.”

“I can hook up with people just fine if I wanted! And I’m not grumpy, what the fuck?” Isak replied, well, grumpy but he won’t admit that.

“So why didn’t you hook up with any cute boys, hm?” Eskild raised his eyebrows and smiled even more.

“Because, school and, stuff.” Isak sputtered, shrugging his shoulders with the biggest eyes he could muster to show that he wasn’t lying.

He was, of course. Knowing _damn_ well that both him and Eskild knew why he didn’t hook-up with people anymore. The fun of it was gone after a little while, he admits. And he prefers a good cuddle over a drunken make out any day, but can Eskild let him live for a minute. He just can’t see how this would help him.

“Can’t you just accept my guru helping for once? I promise it’ll be good.”

Isak just flopped back down on his back and sighed.

 

 -

 **Isak 12:34**  
SANA Eskild wrote me in for this weird thing where I have to kiss a stranger plea se help mE  
pls how can I ever

  
  
**Sana 12:37**  
hahaha good luck ;)

-

 

On next Saturday, Isak arrives at the entrance of the hotel with a cheering Eskild sending him off. He’s totally casual, not with giddy knees and not like he spent way too long in front of the mirror this morning. Or brushed his teeth for a whole 5 minutes, with the complete mouthwash and flossing routine. Nope he didn’t, he was totally chill.

Except for when a guy walked in the lobby of the hotel with a clipboard in his hands he realized he wasn’t.

There was a blue ballpoint pen in his hand and the clipboard totally had no purpose considering that the paper clipped on it was already full of wrinkles. On his head was a snapback that Isak could swear that he owned the same one, and he wore a black sweater with something clipped on his chest that said ‘TEAM’.

“Halla! You must be Isak, no?” He started and Isak took a minute to realise that this guy meant him. Blinking stupidly with his eyes like he got caught doing things he shouldn’t be doing.

“Yes, uh, yes that’s-,” He cleared his throat, “That’s me.”

The TEAM guy laughed and Isak wanted the ground to swallow him whole. He scribbled something down on the clipboard and clicked his pen shut.

“Okay Isak,” He nodded and grabbed a sticker from the board, sticking it on Isak’s chest completely askew. “I’m Yousef.” He grinned.

“Okay.” Isak choked out whilst shaking the guy’s hand.

He hadn’t even made it on the set yet and he was already creating awkward silences. Great. Absolutely what he wanted. Also, Yousef kept grinning and laughing at him and honestly he was going to _combust_ already.

“Well, I guess I’ll bring you to your room then.” Yousef started again, “I think either me or Mikael will pick you up to go to the set.”

“Okay.” Isak repeated and decided that that was probably all he could bring out at this moment.

Yousef laughed, shaking head and gesturing Isak to follow him. Isak just kind of did, barely raising his feet from the ground and following Yousef to what he thought would be his actual _death._ During the whole walk, he managed to trip almost twice, almost passed out in the actual elevator, and ended up texting Eskild the longest caps message he could.

All while Yousef didn’t even pay attention and looked down at his own phone while chuckling. Which ended up with Isak being sure he was talking smack about him, like, for sure.

“Alright, this is your room for now. You can eat like, what you want from the basket we left you and someone will come and collect you in a bit. Don’t worry, be chill, you don’t even have a script you need to study.”

“Ok-,” Isak wanted to say _again_ but coughed instead, “Thanks.”

“No sweat.” Yousef said and then closed the door behind him on his way out.

Isak stood alone in the middle of the room for a hot second, stiffened up and unmoving, until all hell in his head broke lose. Yup, Eskild was going to be _dead._ He was skipping through the room, almost throwing the UiO basket on the ground, before running into the bathroom with his phone stuck in his hand.

 

 **Isak 10:08**  
SANA WHAT DO I DO YOU NEED TO help mE.

 

 **Sana 10:08**  
Chill Isak, it’s only a movie project  
For school  
So chill

  
  
**Isak 10:09  
** I’m pretty sure the guy that got me to my room was laughing at me

 

 **Sana 10:09  
** Who doesn’t???

 

 **Isak 10:09  
** SANA!!

 

 **Sana** **10:10**  
Hahaha chill isaaaak  
It’ll be fine

 

He was chill, he totally was.

Until he checked if the hotel had any toothpaste and mouthwash in the bathroom.

 

-

 

It wasn’t Yousef that came to collect him from his room, but a guy called Mikael. Who also introduced himself as ‘the coolest camera guy’, words quoted truly, and cracked jokes about the ugly paintings on the walls to make Isak calm down.

It worked, somehow. It really did, considering when they got back in the elevator and went up to one of the highest floors Isak didn’t almost pass out and just sort of looked out over the city. He looked and heard Mikael complain about the elevator music he heard 30 times already today which got Isak to joke about a mixtape.

It calmed his nerves, which he didn’t even know he had. Okay, maybe that caps message meant something but he was just _casually_ stressed.

He followed Mikael all the way down the hall, walking in the suite with the door helped open for him and just taking it all in.

Honestly, he didn’t know why Eskild didn’t just go _himself._ Considering he’d love the million lights, and chunk of a camera right in the middle and the sober background and why was _he_ doing this again? Isak, of all people? Who rather would spend his Saturday morning watching _Stranger Things_ for the 16 th time?

“Shit, your opponent is late.” Mikael mumbled and cut Isak off from his hurried gazes. “But you can already stand on that dot if you want.”

Isak nodded, his hands in the pockets of his warm sweater while he walked over to the white dot on the ground. Knees dancing under him a tiny bit, but he made it there without completely breaking the room down.

“You want some water, Isak?” Mikael asked from behind the camera, more looking down at his phone instead of the thing itself.

“No, I’m fine.”

That he was, but then the door was thrown open with such a ‘boom’ that even _Eskild_ could learn from.

“Holy shit, I’m late sorry. There was this lady and she kept asking me totally useless things and I was about to throw that welcome basket in her _face_.”

“Yes, yes, can you just go stand there so we can _start._ ”

Not a second later the guy walked into the lights and-

Holy shit indeed.

Somewhere faintly he heard Mikael say ‘we’re rolling’, but he was still trying to find his breath from the kick his stomach just received. Because, the guy was looking at him. Intense eyes with a wrong shadow on the side of his face because of the lights next to him.

And said guy, was _very_ hot.

Like, you just took my breath away and I can’t stop staring at you hot. His hair all styled back and there was this small strand lose and curling over his forehead and he looked like a modern James Dean for fucks sake. 

Even James Dean looked like a rip off compared to him, all casual standing with a denim jacket and a burgundy sweater. His beige pants and he was so _tall-_ Isak couldn’t take it.

So, he laughed a little nervously, watched the guy bite his bottom lip and a realisation settled that he was going to _kiss_ this guy oh God. He was going to kiss him and probably had to lean up and he was so much more nervous than before, so he swallowed like his throat was sandpaper and it felt like drinking razor blades.

“Well, I’m Even!” He said, smiling teeth and stepping a bit closer to Isak. “This is my school project, actually.”

“Nice,” Isak replied, blinking and noticing the way that Even’s eyes were really blue and he had really cute freckles and Isak was gone. Absolutely gone.

“Nice?” Even repeated.

“Nic-, I mean, my name is Isak.” He stuttered back.

He glanced over at Mikael behind the camera, who was smiling and biting his knuckle to not just start laughing. It was all so much tension suddenly, completely filling up Isak’s bones and he looked back to Even.

It didn’t seem like Even was doing better himself, if Isak was honest. He was hopping on his heels, raising his brows and shyly smiling at Isak. Popping his lips and looking to Isak’s lips before glancing back up to Isak’s eyes. Isak could literally feel the blush on his cheeks radiating warmth. He looked down at the ground, before looking at Mikael with some desperation.

“Do we just, jump int-.”

He didn’t have a chance to finish it.

Even stepping closer and he grabbed Isak’s neck with big hands and determination lacing his fingers. Pulling and pulling Isak’s neck up and capturing to swallow his words. This was happening, it totally was, Even was kissing him.

It was bit harsh, at first. Eyes fluttering and shutting closed. Noses bumping together because of the way Even dove in, but Isak turned his head, let Even lead him all the way until the shock left his chest. Even was smiling against Isak’s mouth when Isak hurriedly tried to keep up.

And then Isak was smiling, and Even was sliding his hands from his neck over and over until he got a whole arm hooked around Isak’s neck and a hand locked shut on his waist. Isak, timidly, brought his two hands to fists with the front denim of Even’s jacket locked into them.

He was starting to keep up, knees becoming more steady and mouth a lot more giving until there was a _tongue_ in his own mouth. And he was back to trying to calm down, back to trying to keep up and slowly but surely French kissed with hot guy Even, he couldn’t believe this was happening.

Even’s grip on his waist loosened, slipped down to his hip and then _dug_ his fingers in Isak’s hipbone. So naturally Isak inhaled sharp through his nose against Even’s cheek, tongues pulling and tugging a little harder. He released a fist from Even’s jacket to go through Even’s hair.

Then, as fast as it started, Even slowly pulled back. Ending with only a peck and they opened their eyes again. And Isak was laughing, all the nervous knees and butterflies away. The heavy arm around his neck slowly taking its leave and all the other hands untangling from each other with weird bumps, all through a fit of giggles.

“That was chill.” Even first started after they were bringing their own postures back.

“It was pretty chill.”

The thought was nice while it lasted, until Mikael said ‘that was it!’ and Isak realised that he just made out with a guy on _camera_. Not only that, it wasn’t even the most innocent make out and was about to end with one or two hands below the waist on, had he mentioned, fucking camera.

Oh my god, what _was_ his life.

Then Isak looked over at Mikael for at least something of a leverage, but all he saw was him with his knuckle back in his mouth and shocking shoulders while laughing at, Even?

Yup, Even.

“So uh,” Isak started and sort of choked in the way Even was staring at him, lips wet and eyes big and as if he’s ready to _jump_ Isak what the fuck, “So that was it?”

“Yup, that was it, yes.” He heard Mikael say, somewhere behind him with a laugh because Even was literally giving him something in his eyes that Eskild would gush weeks about. “ _Totally_ it.”

Isak looked down at Even’s lips one more time and back up at his eyes, and then Even did just the same. Which ended up in Isak’s knees buckling again, and his toes shaking in his shoes, something is his stomach growing that he couldn’t place yet so he looked back down at the ground.

“Well, thanks then.” Isak started.

“Yeah.” Even replied.

“Bye?” Isak questioned.

“ _Yeah_.” Even repeated, still with that stare.

Isak blinked and turned around on his heel. Because hey, okay, no strings attached but that was a pretty good kisser Isak just kissed and the guy was acting way too cocky about it. Like, _way_ too cocky.

He nodded one more goodbye to Mikael, who’s laughter was slowly dying down with some sort of disbelieve in his eyes as his mouth drooped open at Even. Isak’s eyes hurt at the way the lighting changed so he blindly made his way back to the door, barely hearing the hurried footsteps of Mikael suddenly going through the room and he shut the door behind him.

He's walking back down the hallway with his hands in the sweater, lips still a bit raw and tongue still in that tingly numb buzz. Grabbing his phone to go text Eskild for a ride back and to yell at Sana, something about the guy being too hot but also a bit of an asshole, while pressing the elevator button.

It pings when he hears an ‘Isak!’ behind him. All breathy with rushing footsteps behind him.

He turns around and Even is running down the hallway to meet him.

“Isak,” He says again and Isak himself cocks one brow, “Sorry, I was a bit out of it.”

“I noticed.” Isak replies.

And the awkward silence is back again.

Honestly, he thought meeting someone after a drunken hook-up was bad. But this, yeah this is something Isak has not mentally prepared himself for.

It’s just that he remembers, quite _everything_.

From the flick of Even’s tongue, the way Even grabbed his waist or pulled at his neck. To the way Even smelled, and how he pretty much rejected him in the end.

“Thanks for helping me out on this project.” Even starts but Isak’s elevator is about to close.

“I have to go; my ride is here.”

Isak steps in the elevator and the doors are about to close in, away from Even’s god like face and amazing mouth and _okay_ , he just needs to go home and think about this while possibly regretting every life choice he ever made.

And, goddamnit, then Even is putting a hand between the doors. He just can’t catch a break, can he?

“Can I get your number?”

Isak feels his mood lift back up instantly, the elevator feeling way too small and he’s blushing again. Can’t help and can’t even fight the feeling of his mouth curling upwards, his eyes looking down at his shoes again and he’s about to nod and flirt back until-,

“To text you about the project, I mean.”

He blinks, then squints.

“Fine.” He grumbles out, the elevator protesting very loudly know because it just wants to do its job and not stop for cute boys and Isak _totally_ agrees.

So, he grabs Even’s phone out of his hand with some roughness and sort of angry mumbles curses while punching his number in the screen and pushes it back to his chest so hard that Even manages to stumble out the way.

“Bye Isak!” He hears from the other side before the doors close.

He doesn’t reply.

 

-

 

“How did it go, baby gay? Met a cute boy?”

“Oh my god Eskild just _drive_!”

 

-

 

He stumbles back into his room with an almost hysterical Eskild shrieking behind him. And tries to ignore the way Linn and Noora are totally up for hearing details as well when he walks passed the living room.

“Was he not cute?! Oh, was he a bad kisser?! That’s it, isn’t it?”

“Eskild!” Isak replies and throws his door shut.

It takes him exactly 6 minutes and 14 seconds to crack and pull the door back open.

“He was so fucking hot and the best kisser I’ve ever had!”

 

-

 

 **Isak 15:08  
** I can’t believe he just did that Sana! Wtf!

 

 **Sana 15:10  
** Hmmm

 

 **Isak 15:11**  
What?  
Sanaaaa?!  
smh

 

-

 

Life goes on, he figures. Life goes on and so do cute university of Oslo media studying boys with original movie projects. Oh, and university of Oslo biology studying boys go on too, only they somehow manage to keep thinking about cute boys and like, not move on.

Or maybe that’s just Isak.

Because for the first time in the months he’s been studying, his eye suddenly manages to find Even from campus grounds away. Like, with an  _actual_  campus ground between them. Isak spots him all smiley and tall with that stupid denim jacket he held in his fists a week ago and fuck-

He’s over it, he told himself. Totally  _over_  it. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself until right now.

Life was never really on his side, was it?

Because hot guy he kissed last week Even is looking at him again, but not just looking like you’d normally look at someone. He’s absolutely staring at Isak again, with dark eyes and messed up hair and did he just bite his lip and shit.

He coughed and Sana elbowed him in the rib.

“Oi what the fuck?! What was that for!” He protested while rubbing the sore spot. Jesus Christ Sana had the pointiest elbows  _ever_.

“Can you make it any more obvious?” Sana said.

“What obvious?” Isak sputtered, absolutely acting like he wasn’t blushing, “What!”

“You know you can just hook up with him if you want to, right?”

“No!”

“Isak, he’s looking at you like it’s already a party in here.” Sana smirked back.

Isak just kind of gulped like a fish.

“Can you just-, we were talking about  _anatomy,_ leave me alone!”

Then Sana was smirking again and Isak was rolling his eyes with his pen tapping against the table. That gaze Even was giving him still somewhat burned, got even hotter and hotter and  _hotter_ until Sana managed to hit Isak again in the ribs right at the exact same spot as before.

Naturally, Isak shrieked and cursed at Sana to only get a kick on his shin under the mahogany table in the library.

“Sana! You can’t just beat me up for your own f-“

So, Sana got Isak to look up and realise that Even was right at their fucking table. Not like he cared, of course not, did he ever when the dude he’d been pining over and declaring him as the love of his life already was standing in front of them.

Okay, maybe he cared a little bit. You could give him  _that_  much.

“What?” Isak asked a bit too rude for Sana’s likings. But he’d gotten used to Sana’s abuse anyway so taking another extra hit about a fuckboy shouldn’t be that bad, he figured.

Even raised his brows and jumped on the ball on his feet.  _Throwback_ , Isak thought. Remember when you did that when we just kissed? At least he was smiling then.

“What!” Isak repeated.

He was tired, okay? Thinking about degrees and cute boys with a nagging Eskild about both things (one thing more than another, but that’s a side note.)  was absolutely draining. He didn’t have  _time_  for this bullshit playing Even was doing with him.

Even blinked and Isak was  _this_  close to grabbing his stuff and going home.

“I’ve been editing the video. It’s almost finished.” Even blurted out.

Oh my god, who even was this guy. Or  _what_  was this guy, would be a better question.

“Okay?” Isak replied and totally was biting through the small tickling starting to grow in his stomach.

The awkward silence just rose up again, something with Isak almost wanting to scream ‘we just kissed! That’s it! But we weren’t drunk but it’s okay it was just your school project!’ and Isak almost wanting to crawl on the table over to Even and like, kiss him again. School projects be damned.

“That’s it?” Isak started again, completely ignoring Sana’s awful stares, “Was that what you wanted to tell me?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

_Bye._

“Cool.”

“It is,” Even replied while nodding, the enthusiasm of it making one lock of hair escape just to laugh at Isak, “Pretty cool, I mean.”

Isak clicked his tongue and leaned back on his chair. He didn’t know where to look, Even’s weird piece of hair or Even’s lip or his eyes or Isak could just concentrate on his notes on the table instead.

Even just kept on looking at Isak, not moving the slightest muscle just to make Isak squirm a little more in his plastic chair. His stomach was doing weird things again through all the awkward crossing of his legs he kept doing to just be doing something.

Please, just  _leave_.

“So, I guess I’ll just go then.”

Thank fuck finally.

“Okay, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Isak replied dryly.

Well, that moment he could say all hell broke loose right in between them. Sana did somewhat of a hiss and kicked his shin so hard he jumped up from his chair. Even frowned and stepped closer to Isak, as far as the table would let him at least.

Maybe university media students weren’t just friendly fuckboys after all.

“What’s your problem!” Even hushed.

It  _was_  a library after all.

“What’s  _my_  problem?”

To be completely honest, having an argument with Isak Valtersen in a full library and having the worst librarian on duty ever, was not a good idea. Because he just manages to be dramatic as Eskild tells him. But hey, having a healthy argument in your relationship is totally normal.

Except they weren’t in a relationship and Isak was somehow fuming at a person in front of his table who actually did nothing wrong.

But everyone knows how he thinks, if he starts something he’ll finish it.

“What’s  _your_  problem?” He went, ignoring Sana’s shush beside him, “I’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Why are you acting like I did something wrong, then?”

“Because you did!” The whole library was slowly looking up and the librarian started standing up from her desk.

Oh, and when Isak looked behind Even, he saw Mikael and Yousef with some other 2 guys approaching them. Just what he needed, of course.

“What did I do then?” Even was, in contrary to Isak, a lot calmer and seemed to get more chill as Isak got more riled up. He didn’t even care anymore they were in the middle of a public space, that his cheeks were beet red or he had a smudge of ink on his cheek.

“Isak.” Sana was starting next to him.

“No! This asshole thinks he can get away with acting like he’s the  _shit_  just because he’s a media student and has people kissing him for  _fun._ Just because you’re hot doesn’t mean you get away with everything you do!”

The library shushed Isak so sharply that he ended up being out of breath, taking such an inhale that his head went dizzy. The library completely fell silent while Even’s friends just stopped in their tracks. Even himself just looked like he got some slap in the face, with still a stupid grin on his lips.

“Whatever!” Isak gasped out before grabbing all his books and walking away from an almost open mouthed Even due to Isak’s sudden leave. The guy looked so shocked that Isak just wants to go home and forget about this with a good tub of ice cream and a binge watch of  _Narcos_  or something.

The last thing he saw was the librarian definitely looking at him with the ‘you’re permanently banned from this place,  _goodbye’_  face.

The last thing he heard, however, was Sana starting a conversation with Even as the murmurs of other students started up again.

 

-

 

Coming home ended up being a bigger fiasco than the whole library situation on itself.

Because Eskild was already waving his phone in Isak’s face, completely overblown and a breath away from being in hysterics, while Isak was yet to pull off his damn jacket. He’s never catching a break is he?

“Eskild!” He called out with one arm out of the sleeve and the other just half way in still.

Eskild stood still in front of him and did a fairly impressing impression of the ‘white guy meme’ that Jonas always sent him if he was pissed.

“What.”

“Have you even read what I just showed you?”

“I’m literally inside for less than 2 minutes, Eskild.”

He managed to toe off his shoes, at the very least.

“You’ll never stop being dramatic, won’t you?” Eskild sighed, leaning against the arch and blocking off all ways for Isak to go to his room. “I have news!”

Not  _again_.

“Last time you had news it was not a good idea.” Isak mentioned and just desperately started to push against Eskild’s arm.

“Speaking of! How’s, uh-,” Eskild stuttered and looked back on his phone, “How’s Even?”

Isak flared up red and it probably made Eskild laugh more. Suddenly the room did feel that little bit too small, considering it still was their entrance hall, and the air a bit too tight in his chest.

But, you know, Isak  _still_  was going to blame it on the unbelievable hatred he had for the DIY James Dean.

“The fuck would I know.” He grumbled and managed to break free into the living room.

“Well, you  _should_  know,” Eskild spoke behind him, “Considering he just asked you out on a date!”

Somewhere in the walk between the couch and the television Isak’s heart stopped. First, of course, he had the little jump in his chest. Something like a flame of hope, maybe. It felt like missing the last step of the stairs.

Then, at last, Isak was bringing up memories of 2 hours ago in the city library. Who did this guy think he was?  _Mailing_  Eskild for a date? What gave him the right, the goddamn  _audacity-._

“A date.” He replied, somewhat flabbergasted with a scrunch in his nose.

“Yes!”

“Even Bech Næsheim asked me out on a date.” His hands made this little fists, he didn’t even know why he was this angry about it.

“Can’t believe you’re on full name basis already.”

“No Eskild!” Isak exhaled, pressing the palms of his hands onto his eyelids. He ended up rubbing his entire face completely, trying to ignore the reddish warmth radiating from it.

It was quiet for the full 5 seconds until Isak gave in.

“What mail?” He asked, toe tipping in the bath like careful.

“Oh  _now_  you’re interested!”

Eskild, God bless him for once, didn’t ask any more questions and just gave Isak his iPhone with the most impressive crack ever in his screen.

But Isak couldn’t care less, for once, and looked at the all too familiar screen of Eskild’s mailbox app.

 

To: eskild.tryggvason@gmail.com  
From: evenbechnaesheim@gmail.com  
Subject: Invite

 

Dear Eskild (and Isak)

Last week the filming took place of FIRST KISS, my project to end the semester with. The filming was very successful and the footage was absolutely amazing to use. The editing went very smoothly because of that.

Thanks to everyone’s great work, consider the project finished! I’m thrilled to show you before everyone else and I’m very happy to invite you over to my apartment Friday to see the ‘makeshift’ premiere. Everyone selected were students, so it’s bound to be a house party for sure. I’ve gotten a few of requests about people and their opponents information, so this is your chance to strike up a conversation.

Let me know if I can expect you, alcohol reasons and all. Don’t be afraid to bring your own too! See you all then.

Thank you  
Even

 

Enclosed:  
Address and travel directions

 

Isak was, if he could put it in the lightest way, very bitter. So, bitter as he was, he hit the reply message button and honestly couldn’t care less anymore about his reputation. That was ruined by angry librarians anyway.

 

 

To: evenbechnaesheim@gmail.com  
From: eskild.tryggvason@gmail.com  
Subject: RE: Invite

 

Dear Even,

no thanks.

have a good day,  
Isak

_Sent with my IPhone._

 

Eskild saw him typing and from the look on Isak’s face probably puzzled together that what was happening, wasn’t very good. It was all but in slow-motion, Eskilds desperate leap for his phone and Isak’s ‘haa too late!’ in triumph.

To be honest, sending that mail back felt pretty good. Isak grinned while walking back to his room and leaving Eskild behind with a, ‘can you delete a mail you sent?!’ chasing after him.

 

-

 **Sana 18:05  
** A party huh :)

 

 **Isak 18:06  
** I’m not going

 

 **Sana 18:06**  
Yes you are.

 

 **Isak 18:07**  
No  
Already said I wouldn’t so…

 

 **Sana 18:07  
** How??

 

**Isak 18:08**

 

 

 **Sana 18:11**  
Isak??  
You’re so dead.

 

-

 

And then Friday rolled around.

It might’ve been the most careless Friday Isak has had in a while, without anyone nagging that he shouldn’t get too drunk or should go study instead. Nope, instead of that all Isak was more than happy to hang out in the couch in that shirt with the lasagna (which was Linn’s) stain on it.

The only thing he  _had_  to worry about, was Linn not going completely mad at him because he ate her lasagna.

He was texting the boys between watching Gordon Ramsay going off to someone about microwaving salads and finding a comfortable spot in the couch to lay in. They were all somewhat tipsy, a pre-game Isak didn’t attend because they literally had no party to pre-game for.

 

 **Jonas 21:38**  
Isaaaak come oon  
don’t be lameee

 

 **Isak 21:38  
** this is called peer pressure and is illegal

 

 **Magnus 21:38**  
ur illegal

 

 **Isak 21:39**  
excuse me

**Jonas 21:39  
** you’re excused

 

 **Magnus 21:40**  
haahahahahaha

 

**Mahdi 21:41**

**haha**

**Isak 21:41  
** this is the worst thing

 

 **Mahdi 21:43**  
Why don’t u wanna go  
to evens party I mean

 

 **Isak 21:44  
** because we don’t go to fuckboi parties

 

 **Magnus 21:45  
** Ur a fuckboi

**Isak 21:45  
** Stop

**Jonas 21:48**  
We have talked about it  
and  
well hook u up if u get us in

 

 **Isak 21:49**  
No!!!  
what part of ‘he’s an asshole’ don’t u understand???

 

-

 

Apparently Isak didn’t either. It might’ve been too tempting.

Because now he’s walking down the street, a drunk Magnus hanging off his shoulder and his shirt changed into a clean one. He has chugged a beer or two (or three and a half) in less than 10 minutes just to calm the nerves.

The street is a lot more crooked than he remembered it to be, his feet are suddenly much more aware of the holes that he keeps tripping over. Though Jonas keeps saying the street is perfectly flat, he must be on something, Isak figures.

Drunk stumbles with Magnus’ giggle in his ears aside, it doesn’t matter how much beers he’s chugging in  _Guinness Book of World Records_  time. He’s still clammy handed, blaming the blush on his cheeks on the alcohol and the dancing of his knees on the, yes, holes in the street.

He’s just confused okay, let’s give him that.

On one hand, he’s all but wanting to twist Even’s neck for the greater good because all he does is stare at him and gives him short answers after taking 30  _years_ of silence in between Isak’s questions and his answers. Also, that time when he called Isak out in the library while still laughing, nope, he’s not having that.

But on the other hand.

Well, on the other hand.

On the  _other_  hand, Isak would rather just pull Even in a dark room (or a light one, who cares) and kiss him again. And if he means kissing Even, he means  _kissing_  Even. Not just with a shy peck and fluttering eyelids with careful hands. No, he means the whole making out and pulling his hair and wondering his hands lower and lower and-

Okay, he’s not drunk enough for this just yet.

Not to mention, Magnus is this close to screaming Isak’s eardrums to explosion. So, Isak takes another swig of the beer can in his hand and follows Mahdi as he’s the one with Google Maps pulled up.

“Mags I need my back for the rest of my life get off it.” Isak pushes.

“Swiggety swooty coming for Even’s booty with Google Maps.” Magnus replied and Isak pushed him off his back completely with a huff.

“You’re too drunk already man.” Isak said.

Magnus mocked a repeat of ‘ _you’re too drunk already man’_  and ended up walking in front of Isak instead of hanging on his back.

It was quite the sight to see how all of them crashed one by one into Mahdi as he stopped pretty abruptly, the complete ignorance they had for the loud music coming out of a particular apartment flat suddenly becoming a bit too clear as they laughed at themselves.

Isak just had a lot more on his mind than to listen to bad hard style music.

“Alright Isakyaki, let’s get you hooked up with this Even guy.” Jonas brought out and started walking up the lawn to the front door.

“I never should have told you all about him!” He replied, but jogged (or tripped) behind Jonas anyway.

 

-

 

If the walk on the street was a challenge, the stairs were a whole new level on itself.

Of course, Even would live on one of the highest floors and own the most slippery stairs that Isak swore were somewhat Hogwarts stolen with the way some steps just disappeared when he tried to walk on them.

Or it could’ve been that last half of a beer he swallowed way too fast.

“Holy shit dude.” Jonas called behind him as both him and Magnus almost were down at the bottom again. If it weren’t for the dragging on their coats Mahdi and Jonas were doing at least. Isak could hear his bomber jacket slowly stretching out and all the while almost lost his snapback and this was the hardest thing in his  _life_.

Not even his statistics exam came close to this and let him tell you that, that was a  _pretty_  hard thing to do.

And they almost, almost made it all the way to the right floor. Through giggles and the music becoming louder so they heard each other less and less. They  _almost_  made it, Isak could pretty much feel the warmth from inside already, up until he looked up and almost fell down all the way again.

Because that was Even totally not leaning on the railing of the hall to the stairs and totally not with a smirk that was totally not pointed  _right_  at Isak.

Except that yeah, it totally was.

“What happened to the ‘no thanks send from my iPhone’ mail, Isak?” Even called out as Isak finally made it to the top without breaking both of his legs.

Though that sounded like a pretty good idea right now, compared to having to hold an actual conversation with Even who was still an asshole. Couldn’t he do the stairs again? Like 50 times maybe? 50 times  _while_  doing his statistics exam?

“Uh,” Isak coughed, “Change of plans, the others wanted to actually  _see_  your project.”

“Wow, I’m impressed.”

“You should be, Even.”

Okay, he was actually trying really hard to keep his cool and those 4 beers were a bad idea now he thinks of it.

“Oh shit,  _this_  is Even!” Magnus first started.

Then some domino effect happened, all the other guys stumbling out ‘shit Even!’ and the only thing Isak thought that telling them was definitely a very bad idea. Because now Jonas is also walking to Even and not even caring that Even sticks out a head higher than him.

“Stop being such a fuckboy to Isak man, it’s not a good look.”

Isak wanted to  _throw_  himself off the stairs maybe.

Even stood there with raised eyebrows and his mouth a bit agape, Isak needed to stop looking at his lips for God’s sake, while Isak tugged Jonas and the rest of the boys inside Even’s flat to just avoid all sort of human interaction with Even ever.

Bad idea, really  _really_  bad idea.

The second Isak walked in he saw the screen in front of him, just ready to be played. It was big and projecting on a sheet and Yousef was behind the computer right there. Smiling at Isak like he knew what was going on.

Then the way too loud music slowly died down, Even walked passed Isak and on purpose walked into his shoulder. As if Isak had no other reason to hate him, honestly.

It was just completely quiet and Isak’s heart was in his throat.

He didn’t even know why, half the people were drunk and more swaying around than looking at Even, but Even himself just had to keep looking at Isak himself.

“Again, thank you so much for wanting to be a part of this.” Even said and he got a few cheers as response.

“I won’t keep you waiting from continuing the party for too long, so by all means, here it is!” Even continued.

Isak looked as Even nodded at Yousef, felt the shove of Mahdi with the ‘dude watch this first you can look at Even later,’ literally speaking through his elbow but when Isak looked up he thankfully didn’t see himself yet.

Instead, he saw Sana.

Right there on the screen, Sana was there with Yousef in front of her and it was filmed so pure and sweet that the alcohol in Isak’s body drained right through his toes. She smiled down to the ground and he never saw her like this before, but that was okay.

She was smiling and Yousef was smiling and it was the most beautiful thing Isak saw in a while.

“I’ll kiss you now.” Yousef said, smiling ear to cheek and hopping on his feet.

“You’ll kiss me now.” Sana replied and smiled dimples on her cheeks.

“But Even didn’t specify where so, he can walk to the moon if he thinks I’m doing it wrong.”

Sana laughed and blushed,  _actually_  blushed. How did Isak not know, Sana was supposed to tell him everything what is this.

“Okay.” Sana said.

It didn’t take any more words than that, only a step forward by Yousef and a hand around Sana’s chin pulling her face to the side as he softly, gently like she’d break, kissed the right side of her cheek.

And when he pulled back, Isak swore he saw new stars in Sana’s eyes as she laughed.

 

-

 

He decided to wait before sending Sana an all caps message with a ‘how could you not tell me??’ and a wink smiley to lift the mood. He continued watching the video instead, catching giggles from people left and right as they saw each other go from awkward to kissing to awkward again.

It was truly something to see, he’d give Even that.

But it was bound to be his and Even’s turn at some moment. And that moment was like, right now. Honestly, where’s Sana when you need her.

He saw himself on a big screen, it was the weirdest thing in the world if he was honest, with his hands in his hoodie pockets and his hair a true mess that should’ve been covered with a snapback. He was just dumbfounded and he felt the second-hand embarrassment radiating from Jonas as Isak just stood there staring at Even.

Could he really blame Isak?

Because Even looked as good as Isak remembered, with the denim jacket and burgundy sweater. His hair still pulled back and it was like Isak was pulled back in that moment where he stood there shaking on his legs about to kiss this boy.

“Well, I’m Even! This is my school project, actually.”

He’s Even indeed.

“Nice.” He heard himself say, he actually heard himself speak.

Of course there was a small laugh at the way Isak just stood there with the stupid ‘Nice’ as an answer. Magnus mumbled something in the lines that he wondered if this was the same guy who managed to get hookups no problem.

And if Isak was honest, he was wondering that himself.

“Nice?” He heard Even repeat.

“Nic-, I mean, my name is Isak.”

And Isak was just Isak.

He could feel the whole room tense to the core, tension like sharp knives as they just looked at each other with more of a star struck glazed over eye than a sweet smile.

“Do we just, jump int-.”

Then he saw Even grabbing his neck and pulling him in and Magnus cheered behind him and suddenly everyone was cheering. Isak didn’t know if it tasted like borderline obsession of them or the pining finally reaching a climax.

Isak was somehow glued stuck on the ground because what the fuck.

What the fuck this was a little too wild for it to be called innocent, even for Isak’s being. As Isak wove his hands in Even’s jacket and suddenly there was tongue and more life with a heavy breath. As Isak was bringing his fingers through Even’s hair while pushing back just as hard.

As Isak felt Even staring at him from next the projector.

“That was chill.” He heard.

“It was pretty chill.” He saw Even mouthing back to him in the room next to the projector.

It was indeed, pretty chill.

 

-

 

When the video eventually ended and the applause died down, the lights started back up to shine and the music was back to being loud. Jonas was telling Isak how this was totally his chance and that he wasn’t drunk anymore and he should totally just  _go for it._

And on the 7th time of Jonas telling him this, Isak thought a fuck it and nodded before starting his search for Even.

It wasn’t that much of a search really, perhaps a glance up to spot Even towering over everyone else as he was talking to Yousef and, Sana?

Even more of a reason to walk over there, Isak thought.

That’s how he found himself strutting through the crowd, squeezing through and pushing people out of the way until he was right behind of Even. And Sana, of course, were the first one to notice him and she smiled that bit shyly to him.

“Even.” Isak said behind him and was going to keep himself grounded for once when Even looked at him.

“Isak!” Even replied, somewhat of relieve in the tone of his voice.

“We need to talk, don’t you think?”

“Yeah.”

This time, Isak was the one smiling at the stupid ‘yeah’s’ Even gave him whenever he talked to him. He clicked his tongue and gestured to the door to go outside, the dooming stairs be damned, and talk this out because he couldn’t take any more than  _that_.

He walked and Even followed.

The music drowned out when Even closed the door behind him, Isak leaning against the railings of the hall leading to the stairs. Eyes on the spiral down to downstairs. His fingers drummed a bit along with the muted bass on the wood, he’d call it a desperate attempt to shake the nerves out later.

“So.” Even started after the longest 8 seconds of Isak’s life.

“So.” Isak repeated and turned around.

Even leaned against the wall behind him, his cheeks forgiven under a small rosy blush from the warmth, and probably alcohol, inside. Isak just ignored and looked at the wall next to him. Even’s entire mess of a hairdo sucked anyway.

“Not looking at me isn’t going to help, Isak”

Isak snorted and rolled his eyes.

“As if.”

“What’s it with you?” Even tried, “Literally 2 minutes ago you wanted to talk and now you’re just being like  _that_  again.”

“Like what?” Isak’s hands curled around the railing, something to keep him grounded.

“Like I’ve hurt you,” He replied, “And I don’t know if I did. So, tell me what I did wrong so we can talk about it, please.”

Isak swallowed and decided that Jonas was totally in the wrong. He wasn’t drunk enough for this. He totally wasn’t drunk enough for this.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then why-,”

“It’s just that just because we’ve kissed, we have to be something.”

It turned silent and Isak just realized what he said and, once again, looked for a way to break both his legs and his neck on a fall down the stairs. Considering the way Even frowned at him, looked taken back and somewhat  _hurt._

“No!” Isak spoke against the frown, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” Even asked.

“I don’t-, it’s just that, ugh,” Isak rubbed a hand over his eyes, “I mean we can be friends.”

 _No we can’t with my never-ending pining_ , but Isak wasn’t going to admit that part. Let’s keep it realistic here.

“We can be friends.” Even repeated and nodded a bit too unsure for Isak’s liking, but he took it anyway.

“We can be friends.”

 

-

 

The first thing Isak tastes when he gets his tongue back on the alcohol is regret.

They agreed to be friends, okay, that was the promise and Isak’s never been one to break promises but this one is becoming harder with the more beers and hours.

Because Even is right there still, drinking way too much for it to be healthy for his liver as well. Becoming more flushed every sip and his shirt is loose around his fucking collarbones and his hair looks like it’s screaming to be gripped and what is Isak’s life  _honestly_.

“Jonas, holy shit Jonas he’s just trying to lure me in.” Isak whined. He’s hanging onto Jonas and probably ruining all the chances for Jonas to find a girl, but he didn’t care.

“Isak you  _had_  your chance.” Jonas pushed him off his shoulder.

Had he mentioned that Jonas was definitely pissed off at his ‘let’s be friends’ request to Even?

“Look at him.”

“I am, Isak.”

“No just  _look_  at him.”

“Jesus Christ I’m just seeing a drunk guy, dude.” Jonas shrugged and Isak sighed.

“I’m going over to him.” He said, standing up with his knees buckling from the buzz he was under. “I’m going to show him he can’t just  _do_  that, what the fuck.”

“Isak, no.” Jonas gripped his shirt, “No Isak you can’t just do that, that’s a bad idea.”

“Fuck off man I just ruined my chance with the hottest guy in school I can go over to him if I want to.”

“Holy shit stay here you’re going to do something stupid, listen to me for once.”

“I don’t need your best friend advising.” Isak pulled out of Jonas’ grip, “I’m going and giving you the chance to hook up with someone too.”

“Hook up with someone  _too?!_ ” Jonas called behind him but he was already on his way through the crowd.

Listen, Isak had an entire  _plan_  for this okay. Like it was solid, alright.

As solid as his legs, maybe.

Considering he actually made it to Even, stopped right in front of him and completely disregarded the girl he just accidently pushed over to get over to him. All because Even was looking at him with his mouth agape and his eyes dark from the lights probably but Isak could  _dream_ it was because of him.

“Hey.” Isak started with a thick tongue.

“Hey.” Even replied.

“Did you know, that you look like really good today.”

“Shit Isak.” Even walked a step closer and Isak could only lean upwards, “You can’t just say that to your friend.”

“I say it to Jonas any time.” His neck was straining and their chest were touching. The smell of beer kissing his nose.

“Remind me that I’m your  _best_  friend.” Even’s hands were suddenly on his waist pulling him closer and closer and  _closer_.

“Fuck.” Isak managed to gasp out before finally,  _finally,_  gripping Even’s neck with shaking hands to lace his fingers together behind it and pulling Even down to himself.

The first collision of lips was nothing different then the first kiss they shared. It was only a bit more tongue and teeth from the start, Isak’s fingernails already biting half-moons into Even’s neck. His tongue was numb from the beer and the kiss was way too open mouthed with too much of a mess from saliva but Isak didn’t care the slightest.

All because Even didn’t hesitate to bite Isak’s bottom lip the second they changed angles and slipped a hand down Isak’s back to the back pocket of his jeans and  _gripped_ like he owned it.

So Isak let Even deepen the kiss with his tongue and let him slip a leg between his thighs while gasping the lungs from his shaking body. His own hands were taking the route to Even’s hair and hanging on for dear life.

He pulled back for the first time and Isak chased.

“Holy shit, Isak.” Even gasped and snaked an arm back around Isak’s neck. The hand in the back pocket still heavy but Isak just let Even take and take until their lips connected again.

Then Even was turning them around and pushing Isak against the wall behind him with his mouth on Isak’s jaw. His thigh back between Isak’s and pinning Isak with no shame against the wall and Isak was  _gone_.

“Fuck.” He could only say with his fingers pulling at strands of hair. There were teeth scraping his neck while Isak inhaled sharply.

They were, still, very much in the open even if the house was so packed. But Even’s mouth with his teeth and was that his  _tongue_  on his neck with a leg between his just made it hard to think.

“You live here right.” He coughed out, his throat somewhat more dry than before.

Even didn’t reply but looked up, took Isak’s hand in his and led him through the crowd. A buzz stronger than booze bleeding through him while being pushed against the wall at least two more times with their mouths open together.

He remembered being pulled somewhere and hearing a door slam closed while he was pushed down on a matrass. His name like some song with curse words praised with Even on top of him. His head spinning, his tongue craving and his chest shamelessly naked while a belt buckle clang.

“Holy shit.”

“You’re so  _hot_ , kiss me.”

Friends,  _right_ , he thought while digging his nails into Even’s shoulder blades and tightening his thighs around Even’s waist.

 

-

 

The morning after going out is always difficult.

But the morning after going out and waking up in a strange bed is difficult to a whole  _new_  level.

To make it like, expert level difficult, Isak woke up with a raging headache and an arm heavy around his waist as well. His head was screaming at him, all with angry words but he was frozen up from his hair to his toes.

The fucking arm and the strange bed and holy shit is that  _Even_ if he looks over his shoulder _,_  where did Isak’s shirt go?

Okay, where did Isak’s  _pants_  go.

It’s too early, way too early to ask questions. But Even is already stirring next to him, the fingers at his belly slowly coming back to live while Isak hears a groan from behind him. The arm tightens around his waist and he’s being pulled closer to Even’s chest until the realization sets in for the both of them.

“Oh, shit.” Even starts and Isak doesn’t even take the time to fawn over the morning rasp in his voice.

He’s straight up defying gravity with the way he jumped straight out of a, way too comfortable to  _ever_  admit, bed.

“Just come back to bed, Isak. It’s too early to even breathe.” He hears behind him while he’s in the wild search for boxers because he can’t find them anywhere through all the clothes at his feet.

Who wears this many layers and is still to be trusted? Right. That’s what Isak thought.

He grabs a pair of boxers that he can’t remember that they were his but  _whatever_  he’ll deal with it even though Even brings out a tired snicker as he pulls them over his legs.

“Oh my God Isak, just come back to bed.”

Isak froze and turned around to finally see Even in the eye. And honestly, it was the worst idea Isak had since last night.

Even was laying in the bed with the biggest mess of hair Isak’s ever seen. There was this stupidly amazing aesthetic like falling in of the light onto him and it was like he was fucking glowing. To top it all off, Even moved the exact right movement to have the blanket slip from his chest when he sat up and Isak saw a red mark right at his collarbone that made him want to die.

 

The second the realization set in that he, Isak fucking Valtersen himself, probably made that mark on Even caught Isak so off guard that he almost tripped right back in the bed.

That reminded himself of a particular pain in his lower back and what was  _going_  on.

“What the fuck.” Isak said and Even raised eyebrows.

“What the  _fuck_!” Isak repeated, maybe a little too loud.

“Shh, I have roommates.”

“What  _happened_ , oh my God.”

Isak’s head was hurting so hard, he’d never experienced that kind of hangover before. Like the kind of ‘leave me alone in a dark room and leave me to die’ hangover.

And Even, the goddamn asshole like he didn’t change a single bit, grinned a bit and pointed onto something at Isak’s, toes?

Oh and Isak, the poor soul, looked down and realized he wasn’t pointing at his toes but a very suspicious square packet that was ripped. Which is, of course, how Isak ended up back in the bed after a very dramatic gasp and sitting down with his back to Even.

“Holy shit, what-,  _what_.” There wasn’t much else Isak could bring out.

“Don’t freak out.” Even said behind him, a bit too quiet and unsure for it to be funny but Isak still turned around so fast he risked a serious whiplash.

“Don’t  _freak_ -,” Isak gasped whilst putting his hands over his eyes and leaning over with his elbows on his knees. “Don’t freak out, what the  _fuck_ , how can you even-.”

“Isak.”

“We we’re supposed to be  _friends_ , goddamnit.”

He heard rustling behind him, the cracking of the sheets that reminded him of last night’s actions with flashing lights. There were fingers suddenly tracing over his spine and Isak couldn’t believe how, soft it all felt.

How  _real_  it all felt.

But you know, Isak just managed to fuck it up by actually sleeping with the guy. No biggie.

“Isak.” Even repeated.

“ _What_  Even.” Isak was just tired, okay.

“We can still be friends.”

“Even, we slept together.”

“So?”

Isak shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands up, managing to almost pull out a lock of his hair when his finger got stuck in it, but he totally owned it and didn’t make a weird face at the pain. 

He laid back down on the bed and met Even’s eye level.

“You can’t just be friends after a one night stand Even.” He said.

“Well, we’ve never had a problem with starting relationships the weird way.”

Then Isak was blushing, yes he was. Trying to hide his face in the pillow that smelled like Even’s shampoo while Even smiled at him. Sleepy eyed and lazy lips and all, he ended up leaning over to Isak’s face with his hand to caress it. But then, absolutely, there always had to be something to ruin the mood.

“What the fuck, Even,” Isak almost shrieked out, “You’re  _hard_?!”

“Shit, you weren’t supposed to notice  _that_  part.”

“That’s the side of my leg, get the fuck off!”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry!” Even shuffled backwards. “You were naked a minute ago, Isak, you can’t blame  _me_.”

“Why do you always do  _this._ ” Isak gasped out.

Even laughed and they stayed in bed for the rest of the morning (after Even put clothes on) to laugh the hungover off. And when Isak left the bubble called Even’s room, he whole heartedly ignored the tugging his heart was doing.

 

-

 

 **Isak 14:49  
** I have a confession

 

 **Sana 14:50  
** Spill it isabell ☕ ☕

 

 **Isak 14:50**  
Well,,,  
The thing is  
I kind of slept with even???

 

 **Sana 14:51**  
Lol here I was thinking you’d tell me something new

 

**Isak 14:52**

 

 **Sana 14:52**  
Hahaha  
no, but seriously,  
everyone saw you two hooking up and leaving to Even’s room so

 

 **Isak 14:53  
** Lol,,,, shit

 

 **Sana 14:54**  
Nooo everyone was rooting for you 2 :D  
But did everything go alright??  
or do you just need my approval?

 

 **Isak 14:54**  
Yeah then everything was fine  
but then we woke up  
but were friends now??? I guess

 

 **Sana 14:55  
** Friends??!!

 

 **Isak 14:55**  
What?????  
leave me alone!!  
I have a couple of questions for YOU too sana!!

 

 **Sana 14:57  
** Nope, forget it

 

 **Isak 14:57**  
No SPILL IT  
How’s Yousef J

 

 **Sana 14:58  
** Bye

 

 **Isak 14:58**  
Nooo  
Sana???  
goddamnit

 

-

 

Two days later the video got uploaded on YouTube and it became a hit on Isak’s homepage almost immediately.

 

-

 

Isak kept acting like he didn’t watch the video during breakfast, lunch, dinner and whilst brushing his teeth.

 

-

 

Becoming friends with Even changed the situation completely.

Sleeping with Even made the situation a whole  _lot_  different.

Okay, it wasn’t as if they made a lot of awkward eye contact (except they did) or made friendly touches a lot less friendly with the way their hands shook and how they froze up when they touched each other. (Newsflash: they totally did.)

Jonas, Mahdi and Magnus however, were the  _worst_.

They knew that Isak totally fucked up. And they’re never letting it go, nope, never. It’s not about Isak and Even hooking up they teased about, but the fact that Isak casually asked for Even to be friends even though they both blushed when the other breathed into each other’s direction.

“The views on the video dude.” Magnus wove his phone around, pizza slice still in his other hand about to dangerously spill on Isak’s couch.

Well, Eskild’s couch, but whatever. Isak lived on there anyway.

“Like, the comment section went crazy about the gay dudes man. And you’re like, part of the gay dudes.” He continued to ramble on and the pepperoni was one shake away from falling. “Fuckin’ awesome.”

“Stop waving that around, I’m not cleaning it up if you spill.” Isak frowned, head still a bit hazy from the weed. “And it’s not fucking awesome.”

So they got high in Isak’s living room, so what.

“But it  _is_!” Magnus shrieked and finally took a bite from his slice.

“Dude.” Jonas called from somewhere on the ground, “I think you’re missing the point of Isak’s struggle right now.”

“He inflicted the struggle onto  _himself_ , don’t forget.” Mahdi added from next to Jonas.

“Ugh.” Isak moaned and dropped down on the couch, somewhere on Magnus’ lap so he could see Jonas sprawled on his belly on the floor. With his chin on a pillow and his phone in front of him whilst he was scrolling through Instagram.

“Right! You wanted to be friends.” Magnus laughed with the pizza slice coming way too close to Isak’s eye.

“And then you had the, and I quote, best night of your life with him even though you don’t remember it.” Jonas turned on the pillow to look up at Isak, who was flipping Jonas off from Magnus’ lap.

“Even Sana is laughing at me,  _Sana_!” Isak gasped out, “She was supposed to be my number one source of telling me what the fuck I have to do.”

“Tough shit bro.” Mahdi said.

“He’s always like, just there too when I’m in the library. Like he  _knows_  I’m there or some shit.” Isak continued, “Mags for fucks sake stop hitting me in the face with the pizza.”

“Sorry.”

“But like, Isak, how do you two act right now?” Jonas asked with an eyebrow raise Isak was straining his neck to see, not to forget to mention that Magnus’ sharp knee was poking his cheek.

“What?”

“Like, imagine Even and you being alone in this room right now. What would you be doing?”

“Sex.” Magnus answered for Isak. Isak turned around in his lap and poked a finger between his ribs.

“Probably.” Mahdi added on with Magnus.

Isak rolled his eyes and sat back up, crossing his arms over his chest. His toe find a way to Mahdi’s knee, after sinking so far on the couch he almost was laying on Jonas, and he gave a very weak poke to it.

“No, seriously man?” Jonas nudged Mahdi for Isak and Isak was once again reminded why Jonas was the best bro.

“I don’t know, he just stares a lot and gives these weird short answers that are always the  _same_.”

“Did he do that before or after you fucked?” Magnus asked and Isak sighed.

They’re never letting it go, are they?

“Before  _and_  after.” He replied with two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Well, shit.” Jonas said in sync with Mahdi’s ‘ _Aha_ ’.

“What?”

“ _Dude_ , even I know what that means.” Magnus said.

Isak sighed again and even though he was high as a kite 5 minutes ago, he was ready to hit all his friends in the face. He probably knew what it meant, but it’s against a friend code to think that.

“ _What_  does it mean.” Isak was just tired.

“He likes you bro, that’s why he slept with your ugly face.” Mahdi spoke for all.

“Isak is  _not_  ugly!” Magnus stepped in and they all somewhat groaned.

The topic of the Even situation slowly died down, the more lighting of joints probably had something to do with that, and Isak kept eating his pizza even though it suddenly tasted more bitter than before. He blamed it on the weed, of course.

 

-

 

And the video views just kept counting up and up and up.

Isak pretended that he wasn’t at least 1/3 of the views.

 

-

 

“Hey Isak!” He heard behind him while walking down to the tram stop and shit.

He knew that voice.

“Even, hey.”

“Walking home?” Even walked right in Isak’s view and yeah Isak was swept off his feet once again.

“Yeah, I mean, to the tram. I need the tram to go home.” He stuttered back. It was just so hard to speak and not stare or drool at the same time.

“Chill.”

Even continued to walk next to Isak. Which caused Isak, the poor boy, to side stare in the most subtle ways he could muster. It probably wasn’t, considering he tripped like 4 times and almost walked straight into a pole because Even was just that interesting to stare at.

“Don’t you have to go home?” Isak realized he sounded like a mother instead of sounding super casual.

“Yeah?”

“But why are you walking with me then?”

“I take the same tram as you, apparently.” Even chuckled.

“I’ve never seen you on it, though.”

“Life does weird things sometimes.”

Life  _indeed_  does weird things sometimes. And Isak’s body did too, when Even sat next to him on the tram and their legs touched that little bit.  Life does weird things sometimes, and then Even touched his hand before stepping off at his stop without saying a single word.

 

-

 

 **Isak 18:31  
** I can’t take anymore, what do I do.

 

 **Jonas 18:32  
** Deal with ur mistakes

 

 **Magnus 18:32  
** Friends with benefits

 

 **Mahdi 18:36  
** Ignore him

 

-

 

That’s how Isak ended up with a list of possible things to do, and let him tell you that 2 of those things don’t work. Mostly because the third option was terrifying and he wanted nothing to do with it. Up until now, that is.

He tried to deal with his mistakes, but that made him more miserable than he already was and got Eskild yelling at him to clean up the chips crumbs he had in his bed and to do the laundry for once.

Did he already mention that he was absolutely whipped?

So, the next one was him trying to ignore Even. But that smile was too contagious and Even only had to breathe in the direction of Isak for Isak to start spilling out his whole life story  _including_  all the favourite quotes of his childhood books.

Ignoring Even only made Even sad and confused, which made Isak sad and frustrated. So that cycled to the ‘dealing with your mistakes’ plan again, having an angry Eskild at his door was like one of the worst things in life since friendships with Even.

Which is how he ended up with the third option.

He couldn’t believe he was going to take Magnus’ advice on this and reaching  _this_  far for Even.

But he was  _desperate_  okay.

And that stupid video didn’t help with them making out at the exact 2:04 mark.

Calling Even at the middle of the night, however, was pretty stupid. Considering it had Even being more silent and just laughing with ‘ _is this a booty call, Isak?_ ’ going through the phone. He couldn’t help, he really couldn’t, and said something in the lines of ‘ _maybe’_  and texted his address through.

Now he was standing in front of the mirror that hung next to their front door in the hall for a little too long. Not sure if he was getting ready to clean up this entire mess, or create a bigger one.

There was a knock on his door and Isak’s hands were suddenly a lot more sweaty on the doorknob than before.

Opening the door was for Isak a true sight to see.

“I’m late, the tram didn’t show up in time.” Even gasped out.

Did he run here or something? He’s out of breath and his hair is a mess and  _what_  is going on in Isak’s chest. Compared to last time, he doesn’t have the alcohol to make him a whole lot braver so he ended up just inviting Even in his  _house_ as if it was some come drink tea with me date or something.

Even threw off his jacket and followed Isak in his bedroom like he already owned the place or something.

Was it a bad idea to have a hot guy in his bedroom? It probably was.

“So,” Even started and looked at the dying plant in Isak’s bedroom like it was the most interesting thing ever, “Interesting way to start your booty call.”

“I just, it’s not.” Isak replied and leaned against his door because he didn’t really trust his knees at this exact moment.

“It’s not a booty call?” Even raised his brows and Isak prayed so fast that he wasn’t going to add on an asshole remark. But Even remained silent and looked at him for some explanation.

And Isak, well Isak decided that he didn’t have much to lose anymore.

“Well, uh.”

“Yeah?”

“I kinda fucked up.”

“Did you, now?” Even laughed and somehow it clicked that maybe him and Even were on the same page.

Isak started to laugh, too. Not only that, but he was blushing through it all as well. With his hands going to cover his eyes because the ache he had in his chest was finally becoming less.

“I did.” He nodded with a hand over his eyes.

“Where?”

“When I said I wanted to be friends.” Isak said and the laughing died down, “I don’t want to be friends.”

“Me neither.” Even met his gaze when Isak looked up and he was smiling so hard that Isak couldn’t help but join.

“I can’t believe I let my ex-friend into my  _house_.”

“Time to let your boyfriend in then?”

_Too fucking smooth._

Alcohol or no alcohol, Isak didn’t care anymore. He stepped forward and pressed the lightest of kisses to Even’s lips. Just to see him smile so soft and to meet the sparkle in his eyes. Everything felt right.

“He’s already inside.”

“Wow. The asshole.”

“He’s the absolute worst.” Isak replied.

It was then time to kiss again. Maybe a bit harder and with some braver hands. Isak’s bed had to meet his new boyfriend as well, after all.

 

-

 

“I can’t believe you’re mine now, baby.”

“Holy shit, don’t get sentimental  _now_ , keep going. Fuck.”

“Isak,  _baby_.”

“Even. Oh my God.”

 

-

 

“I lied.” Even said in the afterglow cuddle and it felt like a storm starting to roar in their small bubble.

“What?” Isak asked.

“Well,” Even wove a hand through Isak’s hair, scalp a bit sore still from what happened before, and laughed softly. “I had seen you  _before_  the first kiss.”

Isak launched up from Even’s chest so fast he almost broke his back.

“You did  _what_!”

“Shh, don’t you have roommates?” Even tried and laughed while tightening his arm around Isak’s waist so he couldn’t squirm away.

“I do, but they won’t care. Or they’ll stop caring in a week. But you did  _what_  now?”

“It was my project, of course I had to go and  _see_  who I was casting.” Even said like it was no big deal.

“Holy fuck, you’re so-,” Isak struggled with all his might to break free from Even’s arms, “So you just decided to join  _then_?”

“No, I had seen you on this party before mine.” Even confessed and Isak suddenly stopped fighting against him a whole lot less. “But you were kissing this other guy before I got the courage to go talk to you.”

“The last party I went to before yours was months ago, Even.”

“Yeah, I know, totally whipped.” Even grinned.

Isak reached up and pressed a kiss on Even’s jaw, finally stopped the fight all together and melted into the arms around his waist. It was all too real, but at the same time wasn’t, to ruin it.

“And then I saw some guy called Eskild tried to apply his angry gay child, who wasn’t getting any at that moment.”

“Oh my god, don’t tell me he-,”

“He did.”

“I’m going to  _murder_  him, holy shit.”

Even kept laughing, kept smiling and made Isak’s chest bloom open so much more. He felt Even grab the blanket behind him and pull it over their legs up to their hips. It felt  _so_  much better now they weren’t drunk or hungover.

“But then I opened the picture, and I had the longest discussion about my acting skills with Mikael and Yousef because I really wanted to kiss you.”

“You acted pretty good, yeah.”

“Turns out Mikael and Yousef were the worst actors and kept laughing their way through the project.”

“I thought they were laughing at me.” Isak admitted and shook his head.

“No, they were laughing at me because I used a school project to get to you. And then they were dying when they heard I wasn’t reacting anymore after we kissed.”

“I hated you for that.”

“I know, Mikael did too and yelled some good things at me.”

Even kissed the top of his head and nuzzled his nose into the blonde curls, tracing circles and squares on Isak’s naked shoulder blades.

“Without Sana and Yousef it probably wouldn’t have let to our amazing friendship.” Even continued.

Isak was going to give Even a nosebleed with how fast he sometimes made sudden movements when he knew Even had his nose all up on his  _head_.

“Sana?!” Isak gasped and the puzzle pieces fell together.

“She texted Yousef to say where you were, and then he texted me.”

“Of course she did,  _of course_.”

“I also don’t need to take that tram. It’s like, the total opposite of my house.”

“Shut up, Even. Just shut your mouth.”

They didn’t speak any more things except for pet names and sweet words, slowly going to sleep and Isak finally could leave all the trouble behind him while lying in Even’s arms.

 

-

 

 **Isak 04:17  
** Thanks <3

 

 **Sana 09:34  
** Anytime, Isabell <3

 

-

 

 **Isak 04:19  
** Hey Mags, thanks dude <3

 

 **Jonas 04:20  
** Holy shit did it happen????

 

 **Mahdi 05:43**  
It so did look at that heart  
only isak with even would write that

 

 **Magnus 11:02  
** I knew that I was the relationship expert here

 

-

 

Exactly a year later Isak stood in the same room again, for the second project.  But with a whole amount of calmness and whilst joking around with Mikael and Yousef.

It was called: FIRST KISS – A YEAR LATER.

“Isak sometimes just, forgets what he’s talking about midway. He’s the worst conversation partner.” Sana spoke.

The door flew open again, also a year later. (And it was still a slam that Eskild could learn from.)

“Hey baby, sorry I’m late.” Even walked in the room right when Mikael timed to start recording.

“That’s alright.” Isak said and kissed him.

They had a conversation about what they had to buy from the grocery store for the dinner they planned to make tonight. It was like the camera didn’t even exist and right when Mikael said cut, they said I love you on screen.

Life  _does_  do weird things sometimes.

But sometimes, the weird things turn out to be pretty good.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me [here](https://evenbechneiheim.tumblr.com/) on tumblr if you wanna come say hi!


End file.
